Transport apparatus for microfiche cards

ABSTRACT

A microfiche card storage and retrieval system comprising a carousel for storing microfiche cards, card transport means for inserting and retracting microfiche cards from said carousel, said card transport device having an extended position in the plane of its movement, a card load-unload chute disposed above said carousel and defining a card-receiving chute in the plane of movement of said card transport device, the card-receiving chute comprising stop means across the chute to prevent a card from inadvertently being moved into the storage and retrieval system, means for retracting said stop means, means adjacent one edge of said chute for limiting the height of the chute to prevent oversized cards from being inserted through the chute into the storage and retrieval system, and means opposite the insert side of said chute for guiding a microfiche card moved by said transport means into said chute.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus for storing and retrievingmicrofilm images stored on cards of film known as microfiche cards, andin one aspect to an improved apparatus for extracting the card from thestorage position and positioning the same at a viewing station andreturning the card to its storage position.

2. Description of the Art

Machines for storing microfiche cards and for the retrieval of themicrofiche cards to display individual images and project the sameeither on a screen, make a hard copy of the image, or position themicrofiche such that a video signal may be generated by scanning thefilm for projection on a remote terminal are known. Examples of patentsdisclosing microfiche retrieval systems of the type addressed herein areU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,429,436, issued Feb. 25, 1969, to E. H. Irasek;4,190,899, issued Feb. 26, 1980, to D. H. Smith et al; and 4,273,427,issued June 16, 1981 to D. C. Bailey. Numerous additional patents existrelating to devices for scanning microfiche cards or other microfilmimage-supporting media such that the information on the microfilm imagemay be retrieved and reread by a projection image or by duplication on aCRT terminal. Examples of such devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos.3,753,240, issued Aug. 14, 1973 to Roy L. Merwin; and 3,604,850, issuedSept. 14, 1971 to R. R. Eckenbrecht et al.

These systems provide a means for storing information which must bestored on a photographic medium and retrievable automatically bysuitable coding logic stored in a computer. The actual storage andretrieval device will respond to the signals to rotate the storage fileto locate the predetermined microfiche card at the retrieval openingsuch that it may be removed from the file and a specific image on thecard positioned for reading the image either by projection, by scanning,or by copying.

The present invention thus deals with the file for storing themicrofiche cards, accessing the microfiche cards to a card-handlingmechanism for picking the cards from the file and operable on an XY axisto orient a specific image on the card at the film reading station, formoving the card to position another image at the film reading stationand then to the structure for reinserting the microfiche card in thefile, delivering the card to the operator through an opening into thefile, or dumping the card from the file. The mechanism utilized forstoring the microfiche card comprises a pair of trays, fixed on arotatable axis and positionable to place a given one of the storageslots in one or the other of the trays at the access opening. Pickerfingers then grasp the microfiche card, lift the card slightly off thetray, straighten (by tensioning) the leading edge of the card andwithdraw it from the file. Separators for separating the adjacent cardsfrom the selected card aid the fingers to grasp the microfiche card andposition the card at the viewing station. Thus, the visual patternsstored in the microfiche card can be optically scanned to convert theimage pattern electrically to signals which by analog-to-digitalconversion and speed conversion are transmitted to remote terminalsalong with alphanumeric data for review by an operator. The equipment ofthis invention will make visual patterns stored on-line in a controlsystem totally computer driven and accessible. When the information hasbeen viewed the microfiche card is reinserted into the slot in the trayand the separators for the adjacent microfiche cards are returned totheir normal position and the tray carousel is rapidly indexed to locatethe next microfiche card called for by the computer.

During insertion of the microfiche cards, which are four to eight milsin thickness and quite susceptible to bending or buckling duringmechanical handling of the microfiche cards, the cards may becomedamaged or destroyed. It is therefore important the equipment handle thecards in such a manner as to sense if some abnormality exists in thecard or in the operation of the equipment such that the card may bereinserted without being forced, if in fact, the card approaches thestorage slot and strikes an obstruction causing it to be slightly bent,bowed, or bucked.

It is thus important to the present invention that the microfiche cardsbe inserted into the storage and retrieval system by the machine suchthat all of the handling of the card is carried out by the machine,including the loading of the microfiche into the carousel trays, takinga card from the tray and positioning it at the viewing aperture andreturning the card to the storage tray or returning the card through aload-unload slot to the operator. To accomplish this purpose, a novelmicrofiche card transport system is provided for moving the card in aplane with respect to the carousel and with respect to the load-unloadslot and with respect to the viewing aperture. Thus the presentinvention provides a mechanism for loading a card presented to thesystem at a load slot and precisely positioning the microfiche card in aslot in the storage tray and being able to retrieve the card from thestorage tray and move it in an XY coordinate plane to the viewingstation to precisely position an image bearing frame of the microficheat the viewing station, to discharge the card from the storage system orto return the card to its position in the storage tray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for storingmicrofiche cards and affording random access to a card and to aparticular image area on the card. The device of the present inventionprovides a tray for storing a plurality of microfiche cards in a mannerto afford access to each of the cards in a predetermined plane forretrieval. A load-unload area for the system being disposed in the planeof said microfiche card at said access opening, and transport meansmounted for movement within the plane to move said microfiche cardsreadily within the plane in directions to take a card from saidload-unload area and move it in the X direction and then in the Ydirection and then again in the X direction to place the same in saidstorage means. The means for moving the microfiche cards comprise meansfor mechanically grasping the microfiche cards by an edge thereof. Themeans for grasping an edge of the card is mounted on a carriage andmovable therewith. The carriage is mounted on a frame and movablerelative to said frame. The means mounting said frame affords movementof the frame relative to the card storage means and the load-unload areafor transporting the microfiche cards. The transport means furthercomprising means for moving the carriage in increments in response topredetermined electrical signals for positioning the microfiche card.The position of said carriage is determined by the number of steps theframe or carriage may be from a predetermined home position of each ofsaid carriage and said frame as determined by sensing means disposedadjacent the drive means for said frame and said carriage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the microfiche card storage and retrievalsystem hardware of which the present invention is a part;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the microfiche card storage andretrieval system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail side elevational view of the microfichecard transport system;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed side elevational view of the picker forgrasping the microfiche card;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view showing thepicker fingers in plan view;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the picker fingers positioned at the loadaperture;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the picker fingers with the card inthe transport position;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 7--7 of FIG.2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of part of thecard spreading mechanism illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a detail side elevational view of the spreading fingers;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view showing the spreading fingers ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the card guidance and bucklingdetection system; and

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic horizontal sectional view of the guidance andbuckling detection system showing the card in broken lines as it beginsits travel into the carousel, and showing the card in solid lines whentravel of the microfiche card is interrupted by an obstacle of one typeor another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed at an improvement in a microfiche cardstorage and retrieval assembly which permits visible patterns stored inthe microfiche card to be retrieved on-line at the direction of acomputer and through optical to electrical conversion, analog-to-digitalconversion and speed conversion to be transmitted to a remote terminalalong with alphanumeric data from the computer or additional storagememories.

The device of the present invention comprises a carousel assembly inwhich a plurality of microfiche can be stored and provides a loadingstation positioned vertically above the carousel assembly where theoperator may insert or retrieve microfiche to be stored or removed fromthe system. The position of this load station in vertical alignment withthe load and unload slots for the two trays of the carousel assemblymakes it very convenient to use the same picker fingers which transportthe cards in and out of the carousel to receive or extract a card fromthe entire system. The card storage and retrieval system of the presentinvention is also provided with a novel microfiche card transportapparatus including the card grasping and transport fingers which affordalso the feature of straightening the microfiche cards as they areextracted from the storage carousel to provide greater precision in thehandling of the microfiche within the system. Further, the card storageand retrieval system of the present invention comprises an improvedmicrofiche card guidance and buckling detection system such that themicrofiche card, upon which valuable information is stored, is notdestroyed when there is some malfunction in the system which may resultin a card not being able to move as anticipated, resulting in the cardbowing or buckling. The guidance system of the present invention woulddetect any buckling of the card during re-entry of the card into thecarousel storage or into the load station such that the system woulddiscontinue further operation of the programmed maneuver and restrictany permanent damage to a microfiche card. These novel aspects of thepresent system will be described in greater detail.

The system of the present invention comprises a frame 10 which serves asthe primary support and includes a cast base plate 11 supportingupwardly projecting fixed support struts 12 and 14. The struts support avertical wall defined by plates 13 and 15 separating the devicetransversely.

A vertically supported shaft 16, suitably fixed in the base 11 and in asupport member 17 projecting from the vertical strut 12, journals a pairof axially aligned and rotatably fixed trays or carousels 20 and 21. Thecarousels are each provided with a pair of axially spaced horizontallypositioned flanges 22 and 23 (see FIG. 11) which are each formed withaxially aligned and oppositely opening grooves 24 and 25 respectively,for receiving a plurality of microfiche cards 30. Thus the plane of eachof the cards is oriented parallel to the axis of the carousel. In orderto position the carousel such that a preselected microfiche card 30 canbe disposed at the retrieval opening, the carousels are driven by astepping motor 31 which drives a pulley 32 around which is trained atiming belt 33 joined to a larger diameter pulley 34 on the uppercarousel 20. Belt 33 permits the motor to thus drive the carousel withprecision to position one of the many slots in each carousel to apredetermined aligned position with the slot between plates 13 and 15 atinsertion and retrieval station precisely located by an aiming blade 40positioned adjacent the peripheral edge of the carousels 20 and 21. Theaiming blades 40 are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8. Positioned about thelower flange of each tray of the carousel is a band 44 and 45respectively, which retains the cards in the slots of the trays andprevents them from being forced centrifugally from the trays uponrotation of the carousel by the motor 31.

The vertical wall members 13 and 15 separate the carousel storage areaof the device and the card-handling and transport mechanism which servesto pick the selected card from either tray of the carousel, withdraw itand position it and selected images thereon at the reading or viewstation 220. This microfiche card transport mechanism is generallydesignated 50 and is supported by the vertical frame 14 comprising afixed upright 53 positioned adjacent the wall 15 and a spaced upright 54positioned away from the wall 15. The uprights 53 and 54 are generallygrid-like members and support at their upper ends a plate 55 whichsupports the drive motor 56, affording the horizontal movement of acarriage mechanism 60 upon which is mounted the microfiche cardtransport assembly, generally designated 61 which supports the pickerfingers for grasping the microfiche card 30.

The carriage 60 is an elongate generally rectangular verticallypositioned frame having guide means for guiding the same alonghorizontally positioned guide shafts 65 and 66. The upper guide shaft 65is fixed stationary within the frame 14 and supports slides or guidemembers mounted on the upper end of the frame 60 to permit movement ofthe frame 60 along the X axis for positioning the card transport member61. The lower end of the frame 60 is supported on the shaft 66 which isrotatably mounted and comprises a pinion shaft which constitutes thedrive member for moving the card transport 61 vertically with respect tothe carriage 60.

The carriage 60 is moved along the shaft 65 and shaft 66 by a pair ofbelts 70 and 71. The belts 70 and 71 are fixed to the carriage 60 andare trained about pulleys supported on two spaced vertically disposedand rotatably journalled shafts 74 and 75. Shaft 75 extends above theplate 55 and has a pulley receiving the timing belt 76 from the drivepulley 77 of the motor 56. The belts 70 and 71 are timing belts and arecoupled to the carriage 60 to move the carriage with great precisionupon movement of the drive motor 56 in either direction. A reflectivespot or member 79 (see FIG. 3) on belt 71 cooperates with a lightemitting and receiving sensor 80 to signal the home position of thecarriage 60 when the member 79 is positioned at the sensor 80.

The carriage 60 has two vertically disposed guide members 82 and 84which serve to guide the microfiche card transport assembly 61. Theassembly 61 is movable by suitable guides 81 (FIG. 5) along the members82 and 84 under the driving force of a motor 85 which drives a timingbelt 86 entrained around a pulley on one end of the pinion shaft 66 todrive the shaft 66. Rotatably mounted on the carriage 60 is a firstdrive gear 87 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 88 and drives atiming pulley 89 and a timing belt 90. The timing belt 90 is an endlessbelt entrained around the pulley 89 and a pulley 91 supported by arotatable shaft 92 at the upper end of the carriage 60. The belt 90 isconnected to the card transport assembly 61 to move the assembly 61vertically in response to rotation of the shaft 66 by the motor 85. Asecond endless belt 95 is driven from the motor shaft 85 to move a lightreflective spot or member 96 thereon vertically along a path past asensing device 98 (FIG. 3) which senses the home position of the cardtransport assembly 61 along the Y axis of its movement.

The motors 56 and 85 may be operated simultaneously to rapidly move amicrofiche card in a diagonal direction with respect to the frame 14 andthe motors can operate independently to rapidly move the card transportassembly 61 along either the X or the Y axis of its movement.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 6, the microfiche card transportassembly 61 will be described in greater detail. As illustrated, theassembly comprises pairs of picker fingers which are insertable in theslot between the walls 13 and 15 to reach between the flanges of eithercarousel or into the card load or unloading station 170 to grasp amicrofiche card 30. The pairs of picker fingers are formed one on eachof two allochiral generally rectangular frame assemblies 100. The pickerframe assembly 100 is illustrated in plan view in FIGS. 4A and 5 andwill be described in greater detail. The upper frame is deflected aboutan axis of a stud 101 supported from the main plate 102 of the assembly61. The lower frame 100 is supported on and deflected about a similarpin 103.

The frame assemblies 100 are molded and comprise a pair of generallyparallel side members 104 and 105 which are joined through reducedthickness flexure lengths 106 to a bushing 107 which surrounds the stud101. On the opposite end of each of the members 104 and 105 are a pairof fingers or opposed jaw members, joined through similar reducedthickness flexure lengths 106 to an angularly directed link 108 whichjoins a projecting finger 109 formed on the extended end of the member104. A pin 110 supported on the member 105 adjacent the link 108 servesto guide the position of the finger 109 as it moves in a position tograsp a card 30 or return a card 30. The pin 110 engages a fixed aimingcam 112. Pivotally mounted opposite the finger 109 of each assembly 100is a pivotal finger 115 which is pivoted about an axis 116 under thebias of a spring 117 to urge the fingers to a closed position against amicrofiche card 30. The finger 115 has a leg 118 which is disposed at anangle thereto and extends beyond the member 105 to a position engageableby a movable cam 120 mounted on a cam shaft 121. The cam shaft 121 has aplurality of the cams 120 positioned in axially spaced relationtherealong to rotate therewith and actuate the fingers 115 when in aposition to grasp or release a microfiche card 30.

The assembly 61 also includes a tip lever 125 which is mounted adjacentthe members 104. The lever 125 is held in position by a sheet metalplate 126 which wraps about one edge of the lever 125 and extends alongthe back side of the lever and then through an opening 127 in bracket129. A spring 128 is connected to the plate 126 and to the bracket 129projecting forward from the plate 102. A lever member 130 is connectedto the lever 125 between the assemblies 100. The lever member 130 hasthe short leg 131 connected to the tip lever 125 below one corner of thesupport plate 102 and the other leg 132 projects at an angle theretopast the lower side member 105. An eye 133 is formed on the levermembers 130 intermediate the ends of leg 132. A wire formed tension link134 is joined to the eye 133 and to the angularly directed link 108 ofthe upper assembly 100 and is therefore disposed at an angle to thelever 125. The outwardly extending leg 132 is engageable by themicrofiche guide plate members 112 fixed on the plate 13 to cause thelever member 130 to pivot the tip lever 125 about a vertical axisdefined by the left hand vertical edge of the L-shaped bracket 129against the bias of spring 128. This movement pulls on one end of link134 via eye 133 to draw the upper finger assembly 100 toward the otherassembly 100 as will hereinafter be described.

The frame 100 is normally very compliant through the flexures 106adjacent the finger supporting end. As the fingers approach the carouselthe finger is aimed accurately toward the card 30 by tip lever 125spring loading the fingers in one direction while the pins 110 of themembers 105 ride against a precisely located cam surface of the fixedcams 112. The lever member 130 tips the lever 125 and also brings theupper pair of fingers toward the lower pair of fingers. The amount ofmovement of the upper fingers, i.e., Δy is determined by the amount ofmovement of the eye 133 and the length of the tension link 134.

The side views shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 show the action of the pickers inremoving or inserting a card 30 into the carousel or the load station.As the support assembly 61 approaches the carousel or other station thelever member leg 132 encounters the card guide plate and is deflectedrearward relative to the assembly 61. This causes the top pickerassembly 100 to be deflected downward an amount controlled by thelocation of the card guide plate and the defection of leg 132 and eye133 as explained above. Meanwhile, the cam shaft 121 has been driven bya rotary solenoid and the finger 115 has been opened under the urging ofthe cam 120. Thus the finger will be open where it will be able to gripa card 30. The cam is then returned and the finger 115 is closed underthe urging of spring 117 to grip the card and the carriage assembly ismoved along its X axis and the lever 130 is released from the guideplate which allows the top picker assembly 100 to deflect upward. Thisdeflection of the upper member 100 away from the other member willtension the side of the card 30 disposed between the pairs of fingers.The stress allowed to urge the fingers 109 apart is shared by both pairsof picker fingers and they will each move upward a distance equal tohalf of the original deflection of the upper assembly. When properlycalibrated, this action straightens the edge of the card and lifts thecard so that the top and the bottom edges do not contact the top orbottom of the slot in the carousel tray from which the card is removed.This automatically provides an almost frictionless card removal andinsertion when the card is returned to either the same slot in thecarousel or another slot including the slot in the load and unloadstation. Because all of the slots for the cards are located by preciseconstruction of the assembly, the card when it is gripped between thepairs of fingers, will maintain the spaced relation between the top edgeand the bottom edge of the slots.

An assist to the picker fingers in grasping the proper card 30 andextracting or returning the card to a position in one of the trays isafforded by a card separation mechanism which is utilized to engage thecards adjacent a selected card and separate the same to keep them fromgetting in the path of the card which is being extracted or returned.This is accomplished by a pair of spreader fingers which deflect theleading edges of the adjacent cards. This is very helpful because of thecompact nature of the trays and the closely positioned cards can becomebent and bowed, from standing on their edges, particularly when thecards are formed of relatively thin, i.e, 4 mil, film.

Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10 the card separating mechanismwill be described. FIG. 7 shows a vertical sectional view of the cardstorage and retrieval device from the side of the wall opposite the cardtransport illustrating the card spreading mechanism in the "parked"position. In this position the carousel can be rotated to index thedesired card at the removal station. The spreader mechanism comprisestwo pair of wire formed fingers which, in the parked position, arepositioned on opposite sides of a pair of aiming plates 40. The plates40 are fixed in the machine with one above the flange 22 of the top tray20 and one adjacent the bottom flange 23 of the lower tray 21. Theaiming plates 40 assure that the spreader fingers get off to an accuratestart when they are moved onto the card 30. In FIG. 8, the spreadingmechanism for the top tray is illustrated and will be specificallydescribed. Spreading fingers 135 and 136 are carried by mounting blocks138 and 139 which secure the fingers to the drive cable. The mountingblocks 138 and 139 are also provided with stablizing pins 140 and 141respectively, extending outwardly therefrom and which engage guide bars142 and 143. As the mounting blocks are moved under the driving force ofthe cable, the fingers 135 and 136 move off the aiming plate 40,downwardly, (upwardly for the lower set of fingers) and follow the pathof the cable to separate progressively as they move toward the center ofthe cards 30 adjacent the card to be removed or adjacent the empty slotin which a card will be inserted. The spreading fingers for both theupper tray 20 and the lower tray 21 are connected by a common cable 150which is driven by a motor 145 having a drive pulley 146 around whichthe cable is wrapped and to which the ends of the cable are secured.Referring now to FIG. 7, rotation of the motor 145 drives the cable 150in either direction to move the spreading fingers 135 and 136 to theparked position or to their card spreading positions. The cable 150moves from the pulley 146 over an idler pulley 151 past a lower guidepulley 152 and then to the first guide block 139 and counterclockwisearound an upper guide pulley 153 to a second mounting block 139 and downclockwise around the pulley 152 to a tensioning idler roller 155 fromwhich the cable goes back counterclockwise around a lower guide pulley156 up to the mounting block 138 and around an upper guide pulley 158 tothe last guide block 138. From the guide block 138 on the upperspreaders the cable goes around the pulley 156 counterclockwise to alower idler pulley 160 and back to the drive pulley 146.

Thus as the motor 145 is driven through a partial rotation the two setsof spreader fingers 135 and 136 are moved from the aiming blades 40toward the centers of the trays between the grooved flanges thereofuntil they stop at a midpoint as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGS. 8and 9 to separate the cards 30 adjacent the card to be removed such thatany bowing of these neighboring cards will not interfere with theinsertion or the grasping of the selected card.

Cards are inserted into the storage device through a load stationgenerally designated 170 and positioned vertically above the carouselsin the plane of the loading slots of the carousel at the removalstation. This loading station 170 provides a slot defined between twospaced plates 171 and 172 to insert a card 30 against a stop pin 174driven by a solenoid 175 across the slot defined by the plates 171 and172. The pin 174 is normally in the blocking position such that theoperator cannot inadvertently strike a card 30 and send the same intothe storage apparatus without it being picked up by the picker fingersof the card transport assembly 61.

A brake is also provided in the loading area to prevent the insertion ofmicrofiche cards of a dimension exceeding the tolerances establishedbetween the flanges of the carousel trays for receiving microfichecards. This brake mechanism comprises a metal form 192 which is mountedabove the slot defined by the plates 171 and 172 and has a projectingend portion 193 which depends downwardly into the slot sufficiently tocontact the upper edge of a card 30 which exceeds the permittedtolerance. The member 192 is biased into position by a spring 194 abouta pivot axis 195, see FIG. 6. The brake 192 does not interfere withremoval on the unloading of a card as it is easily pivoted to anout-of-the-way position if struck by a card.

The microfiche cards are supported vertically by one edge and they mustbe guided back into the trays of the carousel or into the loading andunloading station 170. To accomplish this, funnel-shaped guide platesare provided to direct the free unsupported end toward the designatedslot. These guide plates are illustrated in FIG. 12. The first set ofthe plates, plates 200 and 201 are supported from plates 13 and 15 ateach of the three stations. The plates 200 and 201 will contact the freeend of the microfiche 30 and direct the same into more restrictingflexible guide plates 204 and 205 as it approaches the designated slotin the carousel tray or unload station. In the event that there is someobstruction or a bend in the card which prevents its free entry betweenthe guide plates 200 and 201 into the flexible funnel guide plates 204and 205 an optical sensor 210 positioned on each side of the card 30 isoperating to detect the card if and only if the card should buckle andbe deflected toward the sensor. The fixed guide plates 200 and 201provide the preliminary guidance for the leading edge of the harmlesslymeandering card 30. Should the card begin to buckle as indicated by thesolid line position of card 30 in FIG. 12, it can become bowed enough tobe detected by one of the optical sensors 210. The card may bepositioned during its return very close or within the range of a sensor210 but it is not detected unless it is positioned at such an angle asto reflect the light beam from the sensor 210 back to a light receivingsensor. The detection range of each sensor is short enough so that itcannot detect a bowed or buckled microfiche card which has moved fromthe center toward the other detector. The path of the light beam for thesensors is illustrated by the arrows leading from the sensors 210. Thesensors 210 comprise a low energy light source such as a light emittingdiode and a phototransistor to receive the signal of the bowed card andsend the same back to the electonic control system for the storagesystem.

The motors utilized to rotate the carousels and to move the cardtransport assembly 61 for the picker fingers are stepping motors. Themotors for the carousel are geared such that the carousel makes onerevolution upon 10 revolutions of the motor and the motor is providedwith 200 stops per revolution. The carousels are designed withsufficient card-receiving slots to provide 50 card positions perrevolution of the motor and thus provide 4 motor steps per card positionsuch that any microfiche card can be easily located through theelectronic control of the motors.

A card which has been withdrawn from the carousels is moved by the cardtransport assembly 61 to a predetermined position at the viewing station220, see FIG. 1. The viewing station 220 is positioned intermediate thetwo trays of the carousel and in the plane of the removal station of thetwo carousel trays and the load and unload slot of station 170. At thisviewing station the card 30 is positioned between a lens holder 221 anda focal plane 223 by a clamping member 224 which is biased to the clampposition and mounted on a bracket 226 movable away from the film by therotation of the cam shaft 121 and a cam 225. A light beam is projectedto scan the image on the microfiche card and produce output signalswhich are converted to electrical signals which by analog-to-digitalconversion can be changed to video signals for reproduction of the imageon the video format at a remote terminal. The imaging system utilizes amirror for projecting the light through the lens and this mirror issuitably supported by the mirror mount 228. The light beam generatingand scanning device (not shown) is supported by frame 11 in the opening229 below the mirror mount as shown in FIG. 1.

The present invention has been described and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. In a microfiche card storage and retrieval systemcomprising a tray for receiving and storing in generally parallelposition a plurality of cards and having a card transport device formoving preselected ones of said cards into and out of said storage meansand for moving the cards along an XY axis in a predetermined plane toposition the cards at a reading station, the improvementcomprising:load-unload station means positioned in the plane of movementof said card by said card-transport device, said load-unload stationmeans comprising a chute having an inlet side adapted for receiving acard inserted therein by the operator, stop means for restricting themovement of the card through the chute, and means opposite said inletside of said chute for guiding a microfiche card handled by said cardtransport means for directing a card into said chute from the oppositeside.
 2. A microfiche storage and retrieval system according to claim 1wherein said stop means comprises a pin extending across the chute andhaving means for withdrawing said pin in response to an electricalsignal.
 3. A microfiche card storage and retrieval system according toclaim 1 wherein said chute includes stop means adjacent an edge of said,chute for defining the height of said chute, said stop means beingbiased into a position to restrict the size of the card moveable intosaid chute, and being retractable against the bias of said spring forallowing a card to move out of said chute.
 4. A microfiche card storageand retrieval system according to claim 1 wherein the plane of saidchute is in the plane of a card positioned at said reading station.
 5. Amicrofiche and storage and retrieval system according to claim 1 whereinsaid card transport device comprises carriage means for movement of acard in the X direction and frame means for movement of a card in the Ydirection and said transport device extends to a height above said trayfor receiving or discharging a card from said load-unload station means.6. In a microfiche card storage and retrieval system comprising a pairof circular axially aligned trays for receiving and storing in generallyparallel axially extending position a plurality of cards, a cardtransport device for moving preselected ones of said cards into and outof said storage trays when a selected card is positioned at a retrievaland inserting station positioned at a fixed position adjacent theperipheral edge of said trays, said transport device being mounted formovement on guide means along an XY axis in a predetermined plane toposition the cards at a reading station, the improvementcomprising:load-unload station means positioned in the plane of movementof said card by said transport device and aligned with said retrievaland inserting station, said load-unload station means comprising a chutehaving an inlet side adapted for receiving a card inserted therein bythe operator, stop means for restricting the movement of the cardthrough the chute, and means opposite said inlet side of said chute forguiding a microfiche card handled by said transport means for directinga card into said chute from the opposite side by said transport device.